Lily Snape
by SouthernMFDemocraticRepublican
Summary: A new version. Harry Potter is old news. Lily Snape is the new rage. The girl who will really kill him. The girl who has to prove herself in a world where everyone thinks they know who she is. She has to prove them wrong. She will, if it kills her.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 **Had any of you reading this now been following the old Lily Snape I apologise for starting this again. I just didn't like how it was turning out and it seemed that very few people liked it either. I hope people like this version better.**

* * *

As I sit in my small spanish class on a rainy Friday at the end of May, I can't help but wonder where my class is.

I look around at the eight dreary faces of the kids who decided to show up on senior cut day. All baseball or softball players.

And me, the only one here that knows how much the life of these eight kids is about to change. As I see the minute hand of the clock tick impossibly slow towards the six at the bottom I feel the fluttering of butterfly wings in the pit of my stomach. The quiet girl about to ruin their lives. Good.

Then it hits. The minute hits and I reach over to my bag to pull out the item of my conquest. The incessant object that I will use against these people… who deserve it.

I stand up. All eyes on me.

"Everyone get up." My voice only quivers a little. But is so low I imagine some never heard it.

"Is that what your voice sounds like? Who knew?" Jason...how I loth him.

This time when I speak I raise it a little. And the power behind it is unmistakable, "Get up and get in that corner over there." I raise my wand towards him and he looks at it and laughs.

"What are you gonna do with that? Poke me?"

This time I feel no regret. I raise my wand towards him.

"Crucio." My voice comes out almost board.

He yelps out, crashing down to the floor almost instantly screaming silently, his face contorted in pain and suffering.

I remove the spell and crouch down extremely close to his face, then filling my voice with the most malice I can muster I say, "Get in the corner."

He nearly crawls over and I turn to the door and lock it. Then I turn to the rest of the class, staring at me in shock and terror.

"Your guys too, all in the corner." The scurry to the corner, avoiding my path as much as possible as I walk to stand in front of them. I seal them in with a magical boundary, they can't get out, but more importantly, Avada Kedavra can't get in.

Then I stand in the center of the room, raise my wand high above my head and with a strong force and gust of wind, I send the Dark Mark high in the sky. I knew he would be here soon.

Then I sense him behind me, at the front of the room. I spin myself around as I fall prostrate on the ground shielding my face from his.

"Oh my most wonderful Lord. I have done it. I have captured the muggle, and more."

His slimy voice crawls over me, "you have made me proud my child."

"I only wish to prove myself, only wish to serve you forever and have your mark upon my arm. And if that means I must kill a thousand muggles if it pleases you."

"Oh it would. Now stand up. Face me."

I stood up and dared to look into his eyes, then I felt him crawl into my mind. A pain shooting through my head as he treads through my memories. When he exits my head I flinch back a little.

"Very well, very well." He says as he eyes the muggles in the corner and touches the boundary, "Your father taught you this?"

"Of course, do you really believe anyone hired by that old coot can teach me anything useful. I do know how to turn a mouse into a cup though." He chuckles a bit, his voice shocking down my spine. The I hear a pop.

"Ah, my Lord." The new addition says bowing down so low his nose nearly touches the ground, "I trust my daughter has been treating you well?"

"Well she caught me nine muggles for me to watch her kill. How displeased can I be."

"Oh, good job my daughter."

I laugh to myself, "I live only to please my master."

"Now you can't just kill them, play with them first. Give me a show."

"I will torture and kill them one by one, then rip out their hearts to feed to Nagini if it will please you My Lord."

"Go on love."

I turn to the group, they are wide eyed and a few of them are sobbing. I give them a look that I kind of hope will seize their nerves so this is as painless as a Cruciatus Curse can be.

Then he speaks again, a tingling being sent down my back again, "That one first."

"John stand up." I say, my voice commanding as can be.

He doesn't stand up, seemingly frozen in shock and terror and he starts to hyperventilate hard.

"Would a Death Eater take that?"

"Imperio." I yell at John, and he is suddenly standing at the front of the group.

"Good girl. Number One."

I point my wand at him again, "Crucio!"

He falls to the floor, his breath coming in little gasps. Finally Elizabeth, who John dumped three weeks ago looked up from his thrashing body and looked at me, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING PETUNIA?"

"Please, keep it up Elizabeth, your pleading just makes it more enjoyable for my master."

"Good, number two, move on please."

I look at John, writhing on the floor in pain, I raise my wand. Ready for the kicker. I look into his eyes as they periodically open and close.

"Goodbye… My Lord."

"What?"

"Avada Kedavra!" I shout and see the spell rebound off the magical border. Then come back at me a rebound off my own. It thrashed against a few wall before finally hitting its target. He was off guard. He didn't know. He wasn't ready. But that is what we wanted. It hits him with a strong force. I cast it as hard as I could. His face contorted in horror. His two most valuable allies, his killers. He disintegrates onto the floor. Crumpling under his own pressure. The life of what could have been a great wizard, gone.

I smiled.

Then I feel two arms around me.

"My baby are you okay."

"I think so Papa. I think I'm okay."

* * *

 **I hope some more people liked the start of this story more that the other one.**

 **Please review it would mean a lot. Anything helps!**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **-MaryKatherine**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed, both in the comments and in my DM's, it really means a lot, more than anyone can imagine. So thanks for continuing to read and please excuse any spelling errors, I am a fourth grader trapped in a senior's body.**

 **I would just like you to believe that the months in Wizard time and Muggle time are different. Just go with it!**

* * *

I stared in shock at the pile of ashes on the floor. The butterfly wings returning, but the weight that has been sitting on my diaphragm for nearly two years was suddenly lifted, and I can't believe how good it feels.

However the sudden feeling of being able to breath again causes me to fall to my knees on the floor seemingly in slow motion. I let out a single long sob and wince my eyes together tightly as I feel the sudden feeling of joy course through my veins.

The I felt the gentle hand on my shoulder, "Baby, you have to check."

I felt his hand leave me, and I look up at the threatening pile of ashes, knowing I can't be happy and content until I know he is truly gone, until I know his soul is gone. Forever.

I hold my wand over the pile, still on my kneeling position on the floor. I see my wand shake with my hand, and then notice the trembling coming from my entire body.

As I cast my spell a shutter breaks the tepid air in the room, and out of the tip of my wand breaks a black rose. I catch it in my left hand, and as soon as my hand wraps around the long grey steam of the rose it disintegrates into dust as incorporates itself with the ashes scattering on the floor.

I let out a breath of relief. And I finally allowed the warm tears I've been holding back to run out of my eyes and down my face and onto my knees.

The stares of nine people bore a hole into the top of my head as I look up at the people I've put on a show for.

I can hear John's sobs as he realises he was tortured probably for nothing. Then I see my Papa raise his wand. To Obliviate them.

"Wait." I call out, not quite knowing why. I have forsaken these people, I feel as though I offer them an explanation.

But of course I know that can't happen here. And John probably will need some sort of medical attention.

"I think I owe these people an explanation."

"Duh…" I hear someone, probably Jason, say from behind me, I turn to glare at him, hoping the ice in my eyes is enough to silence him from his spot on the floor. I remember torturing him, it felt nice. I wanted to do it again.

I raise my wand.

Wait…

 _What am I doing?_

I lower my wand and take a deep breath. I almost tortured another person. I needed to get out of my Death Eater in training mindset. It will be easier when I get my memories back. I feel my Papa's hand on my shoulder and instantly feel a calm wash over me. I roll my shoulders backwards and look back at the shocked and angry faces of the people I called my classmates.

"There are a few things you guys need to know. For one, magic is real. Wizards and witches live all over the world. To us, well we call you muggles. Dark wizards, like the one I just killed, they want to take all of you out. A purge really, just eliminate muggles from the world. And that includes anyone not of 'pure' blood in the wizarding community. Some of us were born from muggles, or wizards that come from muggle family." Then I remember Elisabeth's sister. She was a wizard, but couldn't explain to her family.

I take a look at Elisabeth,"I hate to bring this up, because you might get mad, maybe not believe me, but Elisabeth, I know where your sister is."

"Lauren? You know...I thought…. I guess they never...but how…"

"She's a wizard. Found out when she was eleven and got a school letter from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That is the wizarding school of The United States and Canada. Well, when she found out she couldn't find a way to tell you guys. Well she went to MACUSA, The Magical Council of the United States of America. Well they thought of the kidnapping plan."

She is quiet for a moment. Then she looks up at me, and if looks could kill…

The sm she whispers, I can barely hear her, "You son of a bitch."

And she leaps at the border, which I try to warn her about quickly, but she hits in and is thrown back into the wall.

"I tried to warn you."

I take a deep breath to continue my explanation, "If it is any consolation, she is doing exceptionally well, top of her class. She visits you every so often, but she changes your memory so you don't remember. She's actually lined up for a job with MACUSA. A fantastic quidditch player too, a beater. Got scouted by the national team. She'll make millions if she joins."

"Shut up." Elisabeth says.

I thought at this point I should move on, "Well, that wizard that you just say die is known in the community as You-Know-Who, or He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. However his real name is Voldemort. He was an exceptional wizard who turned dark, and unfortunately used his amazing brain and power for evil. He has killed many people, and his followers, known as death eaters have killed thousands. He is gone now. Evil is eliminated. For now, unfortunately, evil will always be there. However, I don't think we will see someone like him again."

I raised my wand now and took down the magical barrier. I turned to my Papa. He looked at me, boredom looming behind his eyes, I slowly nodded my head, then turned back to my...old...classmates.

"I think I'll miss you guys. This will be over. John, Jason, the pain will go away and you guys will go back to your normal lives as you have been. You will not remember me, or what went down here today. As far as your know you had a normal spanish class. Bye."

I look at each of them, some kind of shifting back and forth uncomfortably. But when I look at Jason, there were tears in his eyes.

"The future navy seal is crying, real tough looking Jason."

"None of us will remember anything that anyone said or you right?" His voice is kind of small, quivering with emotion.

"No."

"How is that fair."

'Trust me, it's for your own good."

He gives me an almost devious look.

Then my Papa yells behind me, " _Obliviate."_

* * *

 **That took a lot longer than I thought. I didn't expect to take so long to get inspired for that. Again sorry for any spelling errors.**

 **Please review-no account needed!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **Thanks to everyone again! Most of what you guys say is so nice and amazing! I really appreciate everything.**

 **Now onto the story.**

* * *

After fixing my old classmates' minds my Papa and I walked out to the hallway, into a janitor closet where he replaces all my thoughts and emotions.

It feels good.

We then apparated to The Leaky Cauldron. Once inside, I am met with applause.

 _How do they already know?_

Just then an owl swoops outside and I see an edition of the _The Daily Prophet_ on the bar. Before I can reach to pick it up I realise the multiple copies splayed throughout the restaurant. The newspaper doesn't usually last this long through the day, and I can smell in the air a story. I knew this was off.

I pick up the copy on the bar and see my smile spread across the front page. I open the paper to investigate further and see the headline.

 **The Girl Who Lived?**

I smile a little bit. Harry will not be pleased I stole his nickname.

Suddenly the paper is ripped from my hands.

"How did she do this so quickly!" I take a quick look over my father's shoulder and look at the author.

 _Skeeter, I should have known._

"You know she'll do anything for a story," I start skimming the article, "at least she didn't lie about anything."

I pulled the paper back from my Papa and read more into the details.

 _It's like she wasn't even there._

 _That's new._

She only mentioned the part of the operation where I was undercover. She mentioned that it had something to do with Voldemort, then it didn't predict the ending. She said she had an "eye in the sky" that told her he saw blinding lights from spells coming from a classroom.

But it just ends. She didn't say the ending of the fight. In fact she never mentioned the word fight. I couldn't come up with a reason for her sudden lack of _Skeeterness._

I looked back at the people still staring at me around the bar.

"Well I survived." I say, just a hit of a playful laugh in my voice.

Suddenly another round of applause is amplified throughout the bar and I take a little bow. I feel my Papa sway at my head a little. I stand up and stare at the people as my father pulls my arm through the bar and out the other side to Diagon Alley.

When we exit to the street Papa pulls me by the arm into the shadows. So many people litter the alley. Mostly kids, hurrying to see their friends and buying their school clothes and books. I smile at the simplicity at it all.

 _It's good to be home._

Then I see them. The smile spreads impossibly wider on my face as I notice the smallest of the group look over and catch my eye. I watch her pull on the sleeve of the person standing next to her, who bumps the person next to him, and so on, until they are one by one looking over to the shadows where we stand. Then they are slyly walking over. Their volume slowly dropping as they get nearer. Then they slip into the shadows next to us.

"Hello Weasleys."

* * *

 **Really sorry this took a long time. I started school and senior year punched me in the face real quick. I'm sorry that this is short, I'll try to get into some sort of pattern here but I have no idea. I have a break this weekend so I'll probably get another chapter up then! Please review they make me so happy!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

* * *

The tallest Weasley crushed me between his outstretched arms.

"Lily, what the _hell_ happened out there?" I felt so secure in his arms as he started to stroke my hair.

"Uh… I defeated the Dark Lord?" I felt the arms of his twin circle me from the other side, then another and another until the whole of the Weasley clan was circling around me, except Percy of course.

"I guess that's just all in a day's work for the greatest witch of our age." George said, chuckling a little as he said it.

"Well…" I say, a smile playing on my lips.

I liked it. Surrounded by my family, free from the confines of needing to be the greatest of kill the all powerful Dark Lord. Just being a normal kid. The butterflies that constantly took residence in my stomach had apparently went home. I felt light as air. Cool as the breeze.

When suddenly Mrs. Weasley broke the silence, "Do you need to buy your books?"

"Uh, yeah!" I suddenly perked up and remembered one of the best parts of going back to school, shopping.

"Okay baby, why don't you and your father go do that, while we'll go and then you can come over later for dinner? Harry and Hermione will be there in a little while anyway."

I looked hopefully over at my father.

He looked back at me, "Why don't you and the twins go shopping and I'll go help Molly with dinner."

"Really Papa! Thanks!" I run over and hug him tightly. Then he reached into his cloak and handed me his wallet.

"Now, don't spend all of it on books, and if anyone asks anything, don't answer anything. Tell them you're not sure what Dumbledore wants you to tell them yet."

"Ok Papa, love you see you later." I perch on my tippy toes to kiss his cheek them grab one of Fred's hands and pull him along Diagon Alley to the bookshop.

* * *

"Lily, do you really need all of those?"

"Of course. My Monster Book of Monsters ate itself last year. I need the new spell books. I spilled a potion all over my book a few days ago and I need a few other books."

"You need _another_ copy of Quidditch Throughout the Ages?"

"Yes, my other one I loned to Ron and he spilled coffee on it."

"So you need a new one?"

"Yes. Don't question me George."

I walked up to buy my books to many stares and questions, which I tried my best to ignore. After leaving the shop I went to buy a new robe, only one to add to the ones I already had that fit. When we stumbled across the abandoned shop at the end of the alley. As usual, Fred and George went up to the windows to the sides of the door and looked in. Like it changed much. People were afraid of this shop, ghosts were known to frequent it, but the bad kind of ghosts.

"When are you guys gonna have the money to set the down payment on it?" I ask them, from on the pavement where I watch them.

"Who knows, if Hermione doesn't let us test our products 'on her watch'," He says, shaking a finger and doing a spot on impression of Hermione, "than never."

"Well I know a secret. And it might help you out."

They both whipped around at this, and flew down the short staircase to where I stood.

They made odd whimpering noises and had lost puppy looks on their faces that I couldn't help but laugh at.

"Dumbledore told me that we are going to be hosting the Triwizard Competition this year."

Their jaws nearly hit the floor.

"You mean like, Triwizard-Triwizard. Like the tournament that got disbanded?"

"Yeah, and there is a _significantly ample_ prize for the winner."

"Wait," Fred interjected, "who are we facing?"

"Beauxbatons and Durmstrang I think, at least that's what Dumbledore told me."

"He told you this?" Fred looked incredulous.

"Well, more like he told my Papa, while I eavesdropped."

"Nice going. Now we just have to make sure that one of the two of us wins Georgie." Fred says.

"One of the three of us," I say, "trust me, I plan on entering that contest. And when I win, my prize money is going to you guys. I want you to have this store as much as you do."

At this they engulfed me in their arms.

And there we stood, comfortably basking in each other. But I can't say I'm not leaning on one brother more than the other.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The last weeks of summer passed by lazily with days spent at the Burrow and lounging in my room at home.

I loved my room. It was cozy. The cobblestone walls kept a chill in that was pleasant, especially now when the heat outside was raging. My bed stood tall in one corner of the huge room with fluttering purple silk hanging from the frames. I had set up a few floating bean bags that I can used to read.

Then there was the owl castle I set up in the back. Just a place for Ó Dufaigh, my majestic barn owl. There were levels of places for him to perch, places for him to sleep and games and toys to play with.

Overall, my summers were not at all uncomfortable. I lived a pretty good life here with my Papa.

Now I sit on a bean bag floating in the center of my room with a copy of _Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Customs_ on my lap, when all of a sudden a shrill voice floats in from the open window to my left.

"Can your camera really reach that far? She's on the second floor you know."

"Yes, I know Skeeter, now can you let me do my job."

This had been happening a lot lately. Reporters outside my window hoping to catch a snippet of the parts of the story we haven't realised yet.

Now, usually I cast a silencing charm when this happened, but today I decided to screw with them a little. And they had a camera, the would get a story. One that I would be happy to deny when it hit the press.

I called Ó Dufaigh over to me and he perched on my leg.

"Oh Ó Dufaigh, I have no idea what to do about this. I think I should tell someone about the… the muggles coming to Hogwarts, but what would I say? How would I go about that? Who would I tell?"

After that I sent him back and pulled a copy of a popular muggle book off my shelf just in time for the camera I clearly saw outside my window to snap a picture of me nose deep in it.

I laughed a little, and thought. This might get me in trouble, but why the _Hell,_ should I care.

* * *

Surprisingly enough. My Papa laughed the next day when he saw Skeeter's story.

"You're an idiot." He did tell me, but laughing hysterically as he said it.

"You see, I knew they were taking a picture, so I thought today we could get some laughs and call out Skeeter for taking a picture in a teenage girl's bedroom."

"Good idea, I'll owl Dumbledore and see if he wants to get in on the laugh. Get in some good robes and contact Davidson, you know he's always waiting for a way to bring down Skeeter."

"Okay."

I headed upstairs and opened my closet.

"What to wear, what to wear?" I asked no one in particular.

Ó Dufaigh flew over and landed on a purple dress I hadn't worn before.

"Good idea bud." I pulled it out and then changed into it.

Then I sat down and wrote a short note to Davidson.

"Ó Dufaigh I need you to deliver this. Don't worry you won't miss any action if you follow him here."

I stood on a chair and opened the window and watched as he flew out.

This was going to be good.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was almost noon when Davidson walked into the drawing room where my Papa and I sat.

"Hey Davidson!" I greeted cheerfully as I ran up to hug my favorite reporter.

"Hey kid." he said as he greeted me, "let's get this. Can you make yourself cry?"

I pull a face at him, "are you kidding, you can't infiltrate the Dark Lord without being able to fake cry."

"Great." He set himself across from me and started asking questions about the 'privacy violation' and Rita Skeeter's ways. I did some of my best fake crying as the photographer snapped a few pictures.

"This is great. Look out for your face front cover tomorrow."

I hugged the reporter and followed him to the door as he left.

* * *

The next day as I woke up I was happily greeted by Ó Dufaigh perched on the side of my bed with a copy of The Daily Prophet for me to read.

"Thanks buddy. Come to breakfast later and I'll give you something."

He cooed happily and pecked my hand lovingly before flying out of the silk curtains and out the open window.

I pulled up the newspaper to see a great picture of me, tears rolling down my cheeks, my Papa with a mad look and his hand on my shoulder. The headline read:

 _ **Is This How We Treat Our Heroes Rita?**_

The article was fantastic, quotes descriptions and it kills Rita. It was beautiful.

I smiled as I set to get changed and went down to breakfast. I sat down to my usual plate of brown sugar oatmeal and three strips of bacon. A glass of apple juice pouring itself controlled from my Papa's wand as he had his head stuck in the fridge.

"Did you see the article?" I asked him.

"Of course, it was great, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. I think we should be expecting a letter from Mrs. Weasley scolding us any moment." I said as we both laughed.

However, as soon as I said that Papa's owl swooped in with a bright red envelope clutched in his beak.

"Oh shit…" Papa said.

"She sent us a howler? Really? For this?"

"Just open it and get it over with."

I carefully pulled out the note set it on the table. It carefully unfolded itself and jumped up to start yelling.

"SEVERUS SNAPE! HOW COME YOU NEVER LEARN! YOU CANNOT JUST TAKE DOWN EVERYONE THAT YOU DON'T LIKE."

I started laughing, just happy it wasn't me.

"AND LILY, I KNOW WHAT YOUR FAKE CRYING LOOKS LIKE AND I BET THIS WAS ALL YOUR IDEA!"

"Dammit."

"And you two should come for dinner, I'm making a roast."

Then the note ripped itself up and spewed itself all over the kitchen table.

"Why does she always do that?" I asked.

"I have no idea."

We just looked at each other, and started hysterical laughing.

* * *

That night we set out and flooed to the Burrow for dinner. They say you get used to using floo after awhile, in my experience using it for fifteen years, you don't.

But once we arrived we were immediately greeted and I was pulled out the doors to the makeshift quidditch pitch in the back, where all the Weasleys, even Charlie who was home on holiday, waited with a bunch of brooms to play quidditch.

I pickup a broom and a paddle.

"I want Ginny." I called.

"Damn." the twins said at the same times.

It was then that they took Charlie for a keeper and said George would act as chaser. I got Ron as my keeper.

We all mounted and took off with the balls flying with the beginning of the game.

* * *

An hour later the score was too high to count and my hand was slightly splintery from the hand carved paddle, but I didn't care. I could tell my face was flushed and my hair was escaping it's ponytail. Suddenly Mrs. Weasley came onto the field and yelled for us for dinner.

Then there was a bludger moving quickly towards her head. I moved quickly and sped to wack it back towards Fred, who I can only assume hit it. It was intercepted by Charlie who wrestled it down to the ground and put it in the makeshift box they had.

"BUMPHING!" Ginny shouted from her high perch, coming down to Fred's level and smacking him upside the head.

"Was not, game play was disrupted." He shouted back at her.

"MUM MAKE THE CALL!" Ron called from the opposite goal post.

"BUMPHING NOW COME IN TO GET WASHED FOR DINNER!" We all laughed and flew down, locked up the equipment and ran back into the house to wash up.

* * *

Dinner is always a fun time in the Weasley house. Let alone Mrs. Weasley's amazing cooking but the conversations that occur around that table are second to none.

Currently Mr. Weasley and Percy were arguing about some random topic that came up at the Ministry today, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were discussing the new ban on some muggle thing at Hogwarts. Charlie was talking to my Papa about some of the duties he has in Romania, and George and Ron were arguing about George cobbing in the game when we all greed it was ok.

Fred and I were discussing a project that we had planned for when we go back to Hogwarts. Which shocked me to realise was only two days away.

"So he told you that it can't be rigged."

"Yes, and keep your voice down, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone anything."

"Ok, but then how do we get around the cup picking anyone else, like Harry."

"It's supposed to pick the best candidate. Harry might have had a part of the dark lord attached to his forehead but he doesn't know magic for shit."

"True."

"What was that?" I heard from across the table.

"Nothing." The three of us said at the same time.

"That's a lie but okay."

We looked at each other and started giggling under our breath.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading again! And don't forget to review! They make me so happy!**

 **-MaryKatherine**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It was a few weeks later when we all stood on the platform to the train, I, being under the custody of the Weasley's since my father had to return to the school the day previous, was being watched by at least a dozen people. I clutched onto the trolley I had, staring at Ó Dufaigh perched proudly on top.

Mrs. Weasley said her goodbyes to her four children and then got to me.

"Don't forget to write, and don't let that silly dad of your's make you boring." She hugged me and smiled.

She had said that same thing to me every year she has sent me to Hogwarts, which now was six years.

Standing on the platform, the first time I knew it would truly be safe, I couldn't help but feel so excited I wanted to cry, and as I looked over at Fred and George I could tell they felt the same. But George grabbed my hand and pulled me to the train with Fred quickly in toe, and I felt that immense joy I bottled up leading to my first day of school escape as I let out a loud laugh and found I couldn't stop.

* * *

The train ride was as crazy and wild as ever with me lounging until I had to get up to do rounds.

"A prefect's job never stops." Percy had told me last year when I complained about missing time with my friends while doing rounds.

Everything was normal, I wasted a little time talking to Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville about You-Know-Who. Harry joked about me stealing his nickname like I thought he would.

Everything was all just a little too normal.

But alas, we got off the train as normal, got in the carriages, and got to Hogwarts all normal.

Maybe things are just cooling down.

Cool?

When we got inside the Great Hall I said my goodbyes to the Weasleys and Company and made my way over to the Slytherin table, waving a little hello to my father from where he stood scowling at the head table.

I saw my white haired friend and plopped myself between him the the enormous croneys he kept himself with.

"Hello Draco."

"Hey Lil. How come I didn't see you on the train?"

He draped an arm around my shoulder as we watched Professor Flitwick bring the rickety old stool and the hat that was falling apart to the front of the hall.

"I didn't go check in with the heads, I just did my normal rounds. I don't think I could face all the 'what happened? What spells did you use? I head you used a machete, is that true?' Questions."

"Yeah, about that. What _did_ happen?"

"Nothing of importance, I just defeated the Dark Lord."

"Yeah like that isn't of importance." His playful smile and chuckle was echoed by a few around us.

"I mean, what? Like it's hard?"

With that there was a roar throughout the Slytherin table, with a few professors giving us a dirty look.

Then I saw the doors at the entryway swing open revealing Professor McGonagall leading the first years to the front of the hall.

I, as do my comrades with me, sneer at the first years from across the Ravenclaw table.

I notice one kid look at us curiously, almost like she wasn't afraid.

 _Probably a muggleborn._

We waited as the hat began to sing its new song all about peace and the first years looking at the hat with wonder.

It was almost boring.

As it turns out, when not thinking about how you are trying to infiltrate the Dark Lord, life goes pretty slowly.

Then the kids start being sorted.

A gryffindor here. A Hufflepuff there. A legacy Slytherin coming once or twice.

Then finally McGonagall calls out for the girl that was looking at us before.

"Florence Williams."

The girl walked up to the chair, looked at it curiously and sat down.

The hat opened its wide brim, then closed it. The girl, _Florence_ , was again giving the hat a strange look, her eyes looking at the brim the flooped just at her eyebrows.

Then the hat opened its brim again.

"SLYTHERIN!"

 _What?_

Suddenly I was swept up in excitement, jumping up with my fellow Slytherins and clapping proudly as new blood was added to our crew.

Suddenly the head boy came over to me and told me that I was going to take the first years to the dormitory. I nod and sit back down when the headmaster shoots a sharp look at us to settle.

The sorting continued and in the end Slytherin had ten new additions. Six boys and four girls. All, from what I could tell, purebloods. Maybe not Florance Williams, I new a few pureblood Williams families, never one with a daughter named Florence though.

It didn't matter though, now I have to move on with the feast. Chatting quietly with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle and a few other older or younger students which I am friendly with.

Soon enough, though, I was given the signal by the Head Boy and stood up.

"First years follow me!"

I know I don't have to say it twice, all at once all ten of the student rose to their feet and follow me to the door, where I nod to Hermione leading the Gryffindors.

I lead them through the winding hallways, mentioning a few tips and tricks on how not to get trapped in the booby-traps scattered around Hogwarts on my tour.

The first years, already introduced to the Bloody Baron in the Great Hall, we acquainted with Peeves when there was a sudden splash from behind me.

I turned around and saw the first-years standing covered in water.

One first-year. Clarence Beron, stood shivering, "What...kind of tr-trap was th-that?"

Suddenly Peeves swooped down from his perch above and bowed deeply to the first-years.

"That would be Peeves the Poltergeist." I said, smiling at one of my favorite people at Hogwarts.

"At your service," Peeves said, "Lily it is finally my favorite time of year."

"Gotta love fresh blood."

"Yes."

"Of course, but for now I need to go."

With that the Poltergeist swept off and I raise my wand to the first years, casting a quick drying spell and spinning to continue my path to the dungeon.

I stop when we get to the entrance to the dungeon.

"Now," I said, "to get into the common room, as most of you know, you will have to whisper a password to one of these walls. The password changes every fortnight, so keep your eyes on the board. The common room is sacred, no member of any other house has entered for hundreds of years. Keep it this way."

Then, turning to the wall I whisper the start of term password to the wall and it swings open for me.

The common room, even though it has been a long day and classes start tomorrow, is buzzing with life.

Kids catching up, dueling for fun, looking out into the lake and waving to the various creatures that were residing there.

It was beautiful.

As soon as I lead the group to respective dorms I found my way back out to the common room. I find Draco, casually leaning against a far wall. The lights have been dimmed and his face is doused in an eerie green light from the lanterns on the wall.

"How was getting the others down here?" I ask as he hands me a small flask with what I assume is firewhisky in it.

"It was fine, the third years are getting more annoying as time passes though."

We both chuckle as I take a swing from the flask, the liquid burning as it goes down. I turn my head towards a pair of fourth years playing exploding snaps.

"Is this what it feels like to be normal?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"What, boring?" His voice comes out bitter.

"No, more like… empty or plain."

"Yep. This is really it."

"It's terrible."

"Welcome to mediocracy."

"Please Draco, at some point this year I will do something so tremendously stupid it'll look heroic."

"I don't underestimate your ability to do that, especially since you keep yourself with the lowest class of Weasley."

I smack him upside the head. Both of us letting out a little giggle.

"I have to say, everyone looks...relaxed. Happy. Except, so many have lost family members, it's crazy." Draco said, looking around at the smiling faces.

"True, I mean, look at Berny Lockless, I watched his father get taken in, he doesn't even seem to care."

"He probably doesn't, in fact, no one here probably cares. Present company included."

"Oh jeez Draco I forgot about your parents, what happened."

Draco turned his head a smidge away from me, his cheeks turning a little red, "last I heard Fathers is in trials, pretty much on his way to Azkaban. They took Mom in for questioning, but let her go when they realised Father's been changing her memory for years, taking away her free will."

"What about you?"

"They pretty much left me alone. Asked a few questions about mine and my family's involvement, but I think Dumbledore and Lupin spoke to the ministry on my behalf."

"And have you been staying at home?"

I asked the question with all sincerity. Draco always talked about running away from home, especially when I started working for the Dark Lord, secretly letting him know I was only doing it to help the Order.

He looked guilty, almost like he was trying to decide whether or not to tell the truth.

"Kind of."

" _Draco…"_

"I know, I know, I plan to pack up all my stuff during Christmas break."

"Well, if you want to move into the Manor i'll give you the key. You know Papa won't mind."

'I know, I just, I don't want to give Mother a reason to do, _anything._ "

"I know, just remember that you're always welcomed."

Just then the door to the common room swings open and I hear the Head Boy yelling.

"Alright. Alright. I'll tell her, just go away!"

I look over.

"Lily, you're being summoned."


End file.
